Air screen creating-air conditioning apparatus



u y 0, 1968 J. M. MORRISON 3,394,755

A IR CONDITIONING APPARATUS AIR SCREEN CREATING- Filed Feb. 6, 1967 4 Sheets-Sheet l Jul-Y 0, 1968 J. M. MORRISON 3,394,755

AIR SCREEN CREATING-AIR CONDITIONING APPARATUS 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb.

FIG. 3.

FIG/1..

July 30, 1968 J. M. MORRISON AIR SCREEN CREATING-AIR CONDITIONING APPARATUS 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Feb. 6. 1967 FIG- FIG. 6, 50

July 30, 1968 AIR SCREEN Filed Feb. 6, 1967 FIG. 8.

J. M. MORRISON 3,394,755

CREATING'AIR CONDITIONING APPARATUS 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 FIG. 7.

FIG 9 United States Patent 3,394,755 AIR SCREEN CREATING-AIR CONDITIONING APPARATUS John M. Morrison, Carss Park, New South Wales, Aus tralia, assignor to Conditionaire Australia Pty, Limited, Kogarah, New South Wales, Australia, a company of New South Wales, Australia Filed Feb. 6, 1967, Ser. No. 614,193 4 Claims. (Cl. 165-103) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention relates to air screen creating-air conditioning apparatus which in one form comprises a cylindrical or part cylindrical casing. A power driven fanwheel or wheels is or are eccent'rically mounted in the casing and air inlet ports are provided in the casing adjacent the fanwheels to admit air to the casing. A longitudinal outlet port is provided in the casing and a deflector in the casing prevents air re-circulating in the casing. The outlet port comprises two venturi-like restricted outlet ports. Ambient air is discharged from one restricted port and temperaturecontrolled air is discharged from the other restricted port.

Background of the invention Apparatus of this kind draws air at ambient temperature and when mounted over or adjacent to openings lead ing to rooms of buildings creates an air screen in the opening the velocity of which is determined by a number of factors. If the velocity of the air forming the air screen is too great, in-spill from the air screen at floor level results and causes air at ambient temperature to flow into the room. This has the effect of raising or lowering the temperature of the room dependent on whether the temperature of the ambient air is higher or lower than that in the room. It is therefore necessary to reduce in-spill at floor level. In some cases in order to prevent in-sp-ill, the velocity of the air screen has to be limited to such an extent that the screen is not etficient in resisting external influences.

In one attempt to overcome this problem it has been the practice to direct the air screen at an outward angle from the entrance so as to minimize in-spill and at the same time provide an air screen moving at sufiicient velocity as to obtain maximum repellability against such external influences.

Summary of the invention One object of the present invention is to provide an air screen creating apparatus of the general type referred to which overcomes the aforementioned problem by utilizing in-spill to advantage.

Another object of the invention is to adapt an air screen creating apparatus of such general type to function as an air conditioner, either heated or cooled.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a method, with apparatus having two ventu-ri-like restricted outlet ports whereby the air screen is divided, and having heating or cooling means in one outlet port, and means to control the volume of air passing over the heating or cooling means, for the purpose of achieving a desired temperature in the heated or cooled air stream.

So far as cooling is concerned, the effective temperature maintained for comfort zone conditions in a room or building is dependent on three factors:

(1) Dry bulb temperature (2) Wet bulb temperature In the room or building.

(3) Air movement 3,394,755 Patented July 30, 1968 ice For example, it would be possible to have an effective temperature of F. in a room when the dry bulb temperature reads F., providing the wet bulb temperature is low enough and the air movement high enough. The combination of these three factors, within certain limits, is known as the comfort zone temperature.

If an air conditioning apparatus is fitted with a refrigcrating coil, air passing over this coil has to be limited to the capacity of the coil in order to ensure that such air is decreased in temperature to reach the dew point, and the air then gives up moisture. This moisture is discharged and carries with it the latent heat of the air. In hot dry climates, considerable [decrease in dry bulb temperature is required to reach the dew point.

In air conditioning apparatus as constructed hitherto, the interposition of a cooling coil in the air stream passing through the apparatus limits the air circulation in a room and consequently stratification of cooled air and room temperature air could occur. As a result of limited air supply to the room the air circulation in the room is also limited which has the effect of increasing the temperature developed by the air conditioning apparatus. Consequently, in order to achieve the desired comfort zone condition, it has been necessary hitherto to install a larger more costly apparatus than would be required if the advantage of air circulation to reduce the effective temperature could be developed. By using the divided flow method of providing air through an air screen creating-air conditioning apparatus it is possible to control the air passing over a cooling coil located in one of the air streams so that the dew point is reached and latent heat is taken from the air. The other air stream acts as a conveyor thus creating greater air circulation which decreases the effective temperature in the room and gives more even mixing of conditioned air and room temperature air, and thus enables the air con-ditioning apparatus to operate more effectively. The conveyor stream of air overcomes the problem of heated air distribution also.

In the case where a heating unit is incorporated the problem is to have heated air distributed in the lower part of the room against its natural tendency to rise and in this instance the divided flow method uses the conveyor stream of air to bring the heated stream of air to floor level thus reversing the natural convection currents whereby the heated air rises to the ceiling above head height.

According to the present invention an air screen creating-air conditioning apparatus is devised to produce at its outlet, two separate streams of air, one said stream being at ambient temperature and the other said stream being heated or cooled at or near the outlet, valve means being incorporated in advance of the heating or cooling means to regulate the volume of air forming each said stream.

Once the use of one air stream, i.e. ambient, to carry another air stream (hot or cold) is appreciated by those skilled in the art, many types of apparatus will be apparent "for carrying the method into effect. Several types of apparatus are diagrammatically illustrated by way of example, in the annexed drawings.

Brief description of the drawings FIGURE 1 is a cross-sectional view of an apparatus constituting a first embodiment of the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a reduced, perspective view of the apparatus shown in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is an elevational view of an apparatus constituting a second embodiment of the present invention;

FIGURE 4 is a plan view of the apparatus shown in FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 5 is a cross-sectional view of an apparatus constituting a third embodiment of the present invention;

FIGURE 6 is a front, elevational view of an appa- Q ratus constituting a fourth embodiment of the present invention;'

FIGURE 7 is an end elevational view of the apparatus shown in FIGURE 6;

FIGURE 8 is a front elevational view of an apparatus constituting a fifth embodiment of the present invention; and

FIGURE 9 is a cross-sectional view of the apparatus shown in FIGURE 8.

Description of the preferred embodiments Referring to FIGURES 1 and 2 the apparatus comprises a casing having a part cylindrical upper section 1 and a lower section formed by extending the walls of the upper section downwardly and converging inwardly as at 2-3 to an outlet position indicated at 4 and thus forming a venturi-like restricted outlet port which extends the full length of the casing 1. As illustrated in FIG- ures 1 and 2 the extension 3 is conveniently made as a separate sheet of material and the casing is completed by end covers 5 which are suitably flanged as at 6 to provide supports for the casing wall members. Additional flanges 7 are formed on the end covers to support the mounting plate to be described. A deflector plate (see FIGURE 1) to prevent re-circulation of air in the upper section of the casing, is a V-like member having one limb 8 fixed to part of the flanges 7 and to the upper part of the member 3 and the other limb 9 is curved and joined to flanges 10 formed on the end covers 5. This limb 9 provides the wall of a flow passage, opposite the extension 2, which prevents turbulence in the flow of air through the apparatus.

The construction described provides a rectangular opening 11 in the casing and a part circular mounting plate 12 is removably fixed to the flanges 7 in the opening to form with the casing, a chamber 13 which extends to the outlet 4 and includes the How passage previously referred to.

A motor 14 is mounted by brackets 15 on the mounting plate 12 with its shaft eccentric to the axis of the cylindrical part 1 of the casing. The motor shaft projects from each end of the motor 14 and there is a fan wheel 16 on each said end. Each fan wheel 16 is an axial intake-peripheral discharge fan wheel comprising a disc having impeller blades on each side. Each fan wheel 16 is encased in a housing 17 fixed to the mounting plate 12. There are air inlets 18 from the opening 11 in each end of each housing 17 and an air outlet 19 from each housing 17 through the mounting plate 12 to the chamber 13. The fan wheels 16 are located eccentrically in the housing 17.

Air deflectors 20 may be fixed to the wall 2 of the casing to spread the flow of air from the fan wheels 16 throughout the length of the casing.

The casing is adjustably mounted on supports 21 by journal pins 22 which project axially from the circular part 1 of the casing, i.e., from the end covers 5. Where an opening to be screened by the apparatus is wider than the length of the apparatus, a second (or more) apparatus can be joined end to end by bolts replacing intermediate rods 22. It will be understood that end covers 5 may be provided for use as intermediate end covers in arrangements of multiple banks of the apparatus, having the flanges 6, 7 and 10 formed on both faces thereof.

As illustrated in FIGURE 1, the flow passage is provided with twin outlet nozzles 24-25 by a division wall member 26 in the form of an inverted V. A flap valve 27 is hinged to the apex of the division wall member 26. It is adapted to be operated by external means not shown, to regulate the volume of air passing through the nozzles 24-25. An air deflector 28 may be positioned across the outlet 4 beneath the division wall member 26.

The nozzles 24-25 are shaped as venturi-like restricted nozzles, so that their outlet cross sectional area is smaller than their inlet cross sectional area. The nozzles 24-25 4.- divide the air discharged from the air screen creating apparatus into two parallel spaced apart screens and convert the total pressure developed by the apparatus into maximum velocity pressure when discharged from the nozzles. Total pressure=static pressure+velocity pressure.

The flap valve 27 is shaped to provide a turbulent free flow of air within the casing of the apparatus to proportion the flow to either nozzle.

A heating or cooling unit is incorporated to heat or cool air passing through passageway 25. For most purposes, the heating or cooling unit would be mounted externally of the casing with the heating or cooling component 29 mounted in the upper end of the nozzle 25, below the flap valve 27.

FIGURIE 3 and 4 are an elevation and a plan respectively of another form of apparatus which will achieve the objects of the invention. In this modification, a fan wheel 30 in a casing 31 having an inlet 32, is driven by a motor 34 and belt drive 35. The outflow from the fan 30 is directed to outlets 36-37 and a control valve 33 is provided to regulate the volume through the respective outlets 36-37. The outlet 37 incorporates a heating or cooling unit 39.

The outlets 36 and 37 could be connected to duct work for distribution and the duct outlets at the point of distribution would be fitted with nozzles 24-25, FIG- URE 1.

FIGURE 5 is a sectional elevation of another form of apparatus adapted for mounting in an opening in the wall of a room. As illustrated, a casing 40 mounted in an opening in a conventional manner, has mounted therein a refrigerating compressor 41, condenser 42, condenser fan 43. The air screen creating fan located at position 44 directs air through nozzles 45-46. The volume to the respective outlets is regulated by valve 47 and the refrigerator cooling coil 48 is located in the air stream flow through outlet 45. A heating coil may also be located in the same position as the cooling coil, 48, when heated air is required.

FIGURES 6 and 7 are front and end elevations of a further form, wherein a motor 49, mounted in a casing 50, has fan wheels 51 on each end of its drive shaft. Air is drawn through in'lets 52 in each end and discharged through outlet trunk 53 which is divided into venturilike restricted nozzles 54-55 by division wall member 56 and side wall members 57. A flap valve 58 is incorporated to regulate the volume of air flow through nozzles 54-55 and a heating and/or cooling unit (not shown) is located in one of the nozzles 54-55.

FIGURES 8 and 9 are a front and a sectional end elevation of a further form, wherein a motor 59 mounted in a casing 60, drives through belts 61, axial flow fans 62-63. The casing incorporates louvered air inlets 64, venturi-like restricted nozzles 65-66 formed by a division wall member 67 and side wall members 68-69. A flap valve 70 is incorporated to regulate the volume of air through nozzles 65-66, and a heating and/or cooling unit (not shown) is located in one of the nozzles 65-66.

What is claimed is:

1. Air screen creating-air conditioning apparatus constructed to produce at its outlet, two separate streams of air, one said stream being at ambient temperature, the other said stream being heated or cooled at or near the outlet, means to heat and cool the air, valve means in the apparatus in advance of the heating and cooling means to regulate the volume of air forming each said stream, said construction for producing said streams of air comprising:

casing means having first and second sections, one of said sections having inwardly-converging walls forming said outlet;

deflector plate means mounted in said one section for preventing re-circulation of air into said other section and for minimizing turbulence in the flow of air through said casing;

fan wheel means mounted in said other section for creating said flow of air;

air deflector means mounted in said other section in the path of said flow of air for spreading said flow throughout the length of said casing; division wall means mounted in said outlet for dividing said flow of air into said two separate streams;

inlet means in said casing for introducing ambient air to said fan Wheel means whereby said flow of air is created at ambient temperature, said division wall means directing said other stream over said heating or cooling means; and

air deflector means positioned across said outlet in alignment with said division wall means.

2. Air screen creating-air conditioning apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said valve means comprises a flap valve swingably connected to said division wall means.

3. Air screen creating-air conditioning apparatus ac- References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,788,823 1/1931 Callahan 165-103 1,889,588 11/1932 Anderson 165-103 2,001,834 5/1935 Carson 165-103 X 2,093,306 9/1937 Carson 165103 X 2,191,224 2/1940 Adair 165-426 X 2,247,987 7/1941 Carson 165103 ROBERT A. OLEARY, Primary Examiner.

A. W. DAVIS, Assistant Examiner. 

